Easy Outdoor Cooking at the Cottage
By Max Trenton
Nothing ruins a cottage vacation faster than spending the better part of
each day listening to kids of all ages whining: "What's for dinner?"... Me?
I'd rather be attacked by a thousand mosquitoes rather than hear that every
day.
The key to avoiding the 'whine' is to plan your menu in advance and arrive
prepared with easy recipes, the best of which can be done on the barbecue!
Who wants to be in front of a hot stove in July?
If you're into cooking and food, check online for local farmers' markets and
bakeries. You can get fruit & veggies, bread, desserts and more, all in one
easy stop. Some will even have local meat producers, which is always a
treat. If you're like my husband, more of a weenies and beans kind of guy
while on vacation, then you'll have the easiest time of all. Most of us fall
somewhere in the middle, so here are some easy barbecue recipes to tempt
most palates:
Boneless Marinated Flat Chicken with Veggie Packets:
Most butchers have these available: it is a vacuum packed boneless flat
chicken. If you're lucky, it will be a capon and so really heavy on the
breast meat. Even better if it pre-marinated! All you have to do is open the
package and pop it on a pre-heated barbecue!
1. Pre-heat the barbecue to the maximum - at least 500 F
2. Place the chicken on the lower rack and sear the chicken for 2-4 minutes,
depending on the size of the thickest part of the breast. Flip it over and
do the same for the other side.
3. Move the chicken on the upper rack to one side. Adjust the heat to about
350F, turn off the flame under the chicken then close the lid. At this
point, the heat needs to be indirect to allow for a moist and tender end
result. Leave on for about 20 minutes, flip once only and leave on for
another 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Remove and let rest for about 10 minutes!
Now, for the accompanying veggie packets - what you put in a veggie packet
is all up to personal taste, but this is a family favorite:
1. Take pieces of foil, about 12 inches wide, and lay out one piece for each
packet (1 packet per adult).
2. Drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of each one and sprinkle liberally
with either Montreal Steak Spice or a combination of salt/pepper and Herbes
de Provence (all of which can be bought pre-mixed in the herb jars at the
grocery store).
3. Start laying a stack of veggies - here's a sample list:
-Really thin slices of yam / sweet potato (too thick and they won't cook)
-Slices of red onion
-Slices of mushroom
-Slices of red, orange, yellow peppers
-Small chunks of zucchini (for greenery!)
-Some finely chopped or grated garlic
4. Sprinkle a little more oil on top, and a little bit more herbs and you're
done! Simply fold up the packets and make distinctive 'ears' or other
markers to show which packet belongs to which person. This is a fun way to
get the kids involved - they can each make their own packet!
5. These should be placed on the lower rack when you have lowered the heat
to medium (350 F) for the chicken - and moved to the upper rack when you
flip the chicken. The yam is the longest to cook and can burn because of the
sugar content so be careful not to place them directly over the flame!
Barbecue Pizza
Another hit with kids of all ages as each person can prepare their own
toppings!
The easiest way is to get pita bread - individual sizes - to use as the
pizza bases - avoids mixing, kneading or otherwise messing about with dough
on your vacation!
Prepare the following toppings:
-Grated mozzarella cheese or use slices of bocconcini cheese for extra gooey
oomph
-Fresh bay leaves, if you can get them, ripped up
-Canned pizza sauce
-Grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in halves or slices
-Sliced mushrooms
-Sliced red onion
-Pepperoni - pre-sliced or sometimes we buy pepperettes and slice them up
thinly - makes tiny but packed with punch tasty pepperoni!
-Canned pieces of pineapple
-Cut up cooked ham
You can vary any and all of the toppings based on your likes / dislikes
1. Brush each pita with a little olive oil and place a pre-heated to medium
heat grill for 2 minutes to warm up.
2. Remove and quickly add toppings.
3. Return the pizzas to the grill and close the lid - leave them in there to
2-5 minutes, depending on the amount of toppings.
4. Remove and serve!
What would dinner be without a great dessert? How about Grilled Peaches with
Vanilla Ice Cream
you are going to need:
-3 tbsp. sugar
-3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
-2 tsp. fresh ground black peppercorns
-2 large fresh peaches with peel, halved and pitted
1. In a saucepan - either on the grill or in the kitchen - simmer, over
medium heat, the sugar, balsamic vinegar and peppercorn. When the mixture is
reduced by half and has become thicker, remove from heat and set aside.
2. Preheat grill to medium-high (350-400 F)
3. Place peaches on the grill with the peel side up. Grill for five minutes
or until the peach is caramelized. Turn the peaches and coat the top with
the balsamic vinegar mixture. Grill for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Serve vanilla ice cream in a bowl, topped with a peach half and pour over
the remaining balsamic vinegar mixture!
About the Author:
To learn more about cottages and cottage rentals, please visit
http://www.findcottage.ca
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